[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE WORK OF LOUISE BALLERSTEDT RAGGIO, MOTHER OF THE TEXAS 
                              FAMILY CODE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 9, 2009

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in 
recognition of Louise Ballerstedt Raggio, a trailblazer and an advocate 
who has spent her life making sure that women and families have equal 
rights under the law.
  Mrs. Raggio was born in Manor, Texas and spent the early part of her 
life as the daughter of a hardworking, Texas farm family. From an early 
age, she learned the importance of perseverance and dedication to a 
cause, and these traits have remained persistent throughout her life. 
She graduated first in her class from high school and went on to earn 
an undergraduate degree with highest honors from the University of 
Texas at Austin.
  After marrying and giving birth to two children, Mrs. Raggio began 
law school at Southern Methodist University in a time when it was not 
typical for a woman to do so. During law school, she gave birth to a 
third son, and although it was difficult, she persisted, graduated, and 
passed the Texas State Bar in 1952. Later, she took a job in the Dallas 
County District Attorney's office and took over all child and family 
cases. She was soon promoted and began doing criminal prosecution. 
During this time, she became active with the Texas State Bar and joined 
the newly-formed Family Law Section of the State Bar in 1960. She would 
eventually become Chairwoman of the committee, making her the first 
woman in Texas history to become Chair of any such committee.
  As Chairwoman, Mrs. Raggio and her committee uncovered 44 state laws 
which discriminated against women, and notably, married women. She 
began a campaign to enact a Marital Property Bill and after seven 
drafts, Governor Connally signed it into law, marking the end of a 
three-year effort. She was so successful that she was asked to 
undertake the entire revision of all family laws in Texas and after ten 
years the Family Law Section of the Texas State Bar created the first 
complete Family Code of laws in the world.
  Today, Mrs. Raggio has garnered numerous recognitions and honors 
including being elected the first female director of the State Bar of 
Texas. She is consistently regarded as the Mother of the Texas Family 
Code and Southern Methodist University has developed an annual Louise 
Ballerstedt Raggio Lecture Series in her honor. I ask my fellow 
colleagues to join me in honoring the work of Mrs. Raggio and her 
lifelong commitment to a fair and just legal system.

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